Boeing won a $17.3 million contract modification for the US and United Kingdom to provide Strategic Weapon System Trident II (D5) Inertial Navigation equipment technical engineering support services. The Trident II D5 fleet ballistic missile (FBM) is a three-stage, solid-propellant, inertial-guided ballistic missile. In September 2021 the US Navy test-fired two unarmed Trident II missiles off the coast of Cape Canaveral, dubbing the launches a successful test of the operational readiness of the weapons system. Work will take place in California, Ohio, Washington, New York, Virginia, Georgia, Florida and Scotland. Estimated completion date is September 30, 2022.
Boeing won a $15.3 million contract, which provides systems engineering, technical, logistics support and retrofit of the Miniaturized Airborne Global Positioning System Receiver 2000 for integration onto the V-22 Osprey aircraft. The V-22 Osprey is a joint-service, medium-lift, multimission tilt-rotor aircraft. Work will take place in Pennsylvania and Texas. Estimated completion will be in November 2024.
Middle East & Africa
The Moroccans have started their flight training to operate the AH-64. The training is taking place in Utah with the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment. The unit says Cpt. Harbouli and Cpt. Ezhari are to first two Moroccans to undergo training in the simulator.
Europe
Lockheed Martin has won a $21 million contract to customize four MH-60R helicopters ordered by the Hellenic Navy from standard export configuration. The order provides non-recurring engineering and field service representative support in support of configuration efforts for four MH-60R aircraft from standard Foreign Military Sales (FMS) configuration to the government of Greece configuration. Work will take place in New York, Greece and Connecticut. Estimated completion will be in September 2027.
Asia-Pacific
China has revealed a range of weapons it has developed for stealth fighters at the ongoing Airshow China event in Zhuhai, South China’s Guangdong Province. According to the Global Times, a scale model of the country’s second stealth fighter jet, the FC-31, was displayed together with armament including the powerful PL-15E beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile which is also used by China’s first stealthy jet, the J-20. The PL-15E is announced to be available for export for the first time. It is an air-to-air missile with a maximum range of 145km guided with a combination of inertial, satellite navigation, datalink and active radar.
Boeing won a $220 million contract, which provides non-recurring engineering in support of configuration efforts for the Harpoon Coastal Defense System (HCDS), to include the Harpoon Block II Update Grade B Canister Launch All Up Round Missiles, the HCDS launch system, and Harpoon weapon station test and production equipment for the government of Taiwan. Work will take place in Texas, South Dakota, Michigan, Connecticut, Maryland, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas and Alabama. Estimated completion will be in July 2023.
Today’s Video
Watch: Is Boeing AH-64 Apache The Ultimate Weapon?| The Ultimates: Combat Helicopters | Spark
Boeing won a $3.5 billion deal for the C-17 Globemaster III Sustainment Program. The contract will provide support and sustainment services to the government product support manager/product support integrator for the C-17 weapon system. The contract involves Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, NATO Airlift Management Program Office, India, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Support includes: program management; sustaining logistics; material and equipment management; sustaining engineering; quality assurance; depot level aircraft maintenance and modifications; F117 propulsion system management; long-term sustainment planning; field services, unique foreign military customer services and Air Logistics Center partnering support for the worldwide fleet of the C-17 aircraft. Estimated completion date is May 30, 2031.
Boeing won a $9.3 million contract modification for F-15C and F-15E mission training centers (MTC). The modification provides for updates to the F-15 MTC training systems to achieve service objectives associated with implementation of F-15C/E Aircraft Mission Package-20. Work will take place in Idaho, North Carolina, the UK and Japan.
Middle East & Africa
Iraq is planning to acquire a dozen JF-17 fighter aircraft from Pakistan and has reportedly set aside $600 million for the procurement, as per local media reports. Unconfirmed reports claimed that a delegation from Iraq’s Ministry of Defense recently visited Pakistan, while a formal agreement is expected to be signed in the country’s federal capital in October. The deal was reportedly made during the visit of Deputy Commander of Iraqi Air Force Major General (Pilot) Muhammad Majeed Mahdi Mahmood’s to Pakistan.
Europe
Boeing won a $756.6 million contract modification, which exercises an option for the production and delivery of five Lot 12 P-8A aircraft for the government of Germany. Work will take place in Washington, California and other locations within the US. Estimated completion will be in February 2025. In July 2021, Berlin signed a letter of offer and acceptance for five Boeing P-8As under the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process.
France’s Naval Group is likely to bag a contract valued approximately €5 billion to provide FDI (Belharra) frigates and Gowind corvettes to the Hellenic Navy. According to La Tribune, the deal will include delivery of three each of FDI and Gowind warships with an option for one more.
Asia-Pacific
A new version of the Akash Missile – ‘Akash Prime’ developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been flight tested from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha on September 27. The missile intercepted and destroyed an unmanned aerial target mimicking enemy aircrafts, in its maiden flight test after improvements.
Today’s Video
Watch: US P-8A Poseidon Aircraft Conduct Anti-Submarine Warfare Exercise
Boeing won a $16 million deal for spare parts in support of the AH-64 Apache weapon system. The Apache is a twin-engined army attack helicopter. The Apache attack helicopter can be equipped with air-to-air missiles (Stinger, AIM-9 Sidewinder, Mistral and Sidearm) and the advanced precision kill weapon system (APKWS), formerly known as Hydra, family of guided and unguided 70mm rockets.
Boeing won a $158.3 million contract modification for VC-25B Spares Phase 1 – Long Lead Parts. This contract modification is for the VC-25B initial spares with a production lead time of greater than 12 months that are required for the initial support period, which is the first 18 months beginning at initial operational capability. VC-25B, the next “Air Force One,” is a program to design, modify, test, and deliver two aircraft replacing the current VC-25A and will serve as a flying White House for the next thirty years. Work will take place in Maryland. Estimated completion date is January 15, 2025.
Middle East & Africa
According to some press reports, Morocco is set to be the newest operator of the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW). The reports further added that the weapons have been delivered to the country.
Europe
The US Air Force has awarded Rolls-Royce a $2.6 billion contract to replace the engines on its B-52H Stratofortress bomber fleet. The F130 engine for the B-52, which produces 17,000 pounds of thrust, is a variant of the Rolls-Royce BR725 commercial engine.
Russian company Rostec-owned Central Research Institute of Precision Engineering has begun mass production of unified systems designed to protect latest military equipment against high-precision weapons. The product is designed to protect the TOS-2 heavy flamethrower system, the PRP-5 reconnaissance vehicle, as well as the Zavet-D automated artillery control systems, the state-owned company said in a statement.
Asia-Pacific
PT Dirgantara Indonesia (Persero) (PTDI) and Turkish company Hava Elektronik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.?. (HAVELSAN) agreed to jointly develop a simulator for N219 aircraft. A Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to the same was signed during Teknofest 2021 in Istanbul by the President Director of PTDI, Dr. Ir. Elfien Goentoro, MBA and CEO of HAVELSAN, Dr. Mehmet Active Nacar.
Today’s Video
Watch: The Next Presidential Jet: The New $5B “Biden Force One”
Latest updates[?]: Boeing won a $158.3 million contract modification for VC-25B Spares Phase 1 – Long Lead Parts. This contract modification is for the VC-25B initial spares with a production lead time of greater than 12 months that are required for the initial support period, which is the first 18 months beginning at initial operational capability. VC-25B, the next “Air Force One,” is a program to design, modify, test, and deliver two aircraft replacing the current VC-25A and will serve as a flying White House for the next thirty years. Work will take place in Maryland. Estimated completion date is January 15, 2025.
Air Force One
The USA’s fleet of 2 “VC-25” 747-200 derivatives is unique in several respects. It’s more popularly known as the latest incarnation of the “Air Force One” fleet that transports the President of the United States around the world, though the planes themselves only acquire the “Air Force One” call sign when the President is on board. The VC-25 can also serve as a secondary command post, thanks to a suite of advanced communications and electronics gear that’s both highly encrypted, and protected from the Electro-Magnetic Pulse effects of nuclear detonations. The 89th Airlift Wing operates them from Andrews AFB, MD.
During the Cold War, if humanity’s time on earth had been cut short, at least one of the orders would almost certainly have come from a 707-based “VC-137” predecessor. The 747-based VC-25s were ordered in 1985, and added to the fleet in 1990, where they continue to serve in the same roles, flying an average of nearly 200,000 miles per year. Of course, maintenance and upgrades are still required, such as the 2002/2003 upgrades that let the President address the nation from on board, new defensive systems, etc…
Lockheed Martin won a $14.8 million contract modification, which is adding scope to provide depot level repair capabilities for the F-35 gun system in support of F-35 Lightning II low-rate initial production Lot 11 aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, and non-US Department of Defense (DOD) participants. F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter (JSF) is a stealthy, supersonic multirole fighter developed by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company for the US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps and programme partners from the NATO and US allies. Work will take place in Varmint, Texas and Maine. Expected completion will be in November 2024.
AAR Services won a $14.2 million deal for maintenance and overhaul of the CH-47. The Chinook CH-47F is an advanced multi-mission helicopter manufactured by American aerospace and defense firm Boeing for the US Army and international defense forces. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of September 23, 2026.
Middle East & Africa
Turkish engine producer Erin Motor on Thursday introduced a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) while drone-maker Baykar launched a Vertical take-off drone at the Teknofest event in Istanbul. The company showcased two types of UAV engines, 6-hp and 11-hp, which can be used in vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAVs with wingspans of up to five meters (16.4 feet) for a wide range of drones and related payloads.
Europe
Secretary of State for Defense Ben Wallace has cut the first steel for the first of the Royal Navy’s five new Type 31 frigates, HMS Venturer. Hosted at Babcock’s facility in Rosyth, Scotland, where the Type 31 Inspiration class ships are being built, representatives from across UK and international industry and public service, witnessed the historic ceremony signalling the official start of the build programme alongside employees and representatives from the local community.
Asia-Pacific
The Republic of China Army (ROCA) Aviation and Special Forces Command announced officially on September 25 that the plan to deploy AH-64Es at Taitung’s Fengnian airport has been abandoned. This is due to opposition from the local populace over noise issues. The residents were also concern over the safety of the rotor craft. The Army wants its AH-64E pilots to familiarize themselves with the terrain on the east side of the island. By stationing at Fengnian, the helicopters can be serviced there.
Indian Ministry of Defense signed a contract with Airbus Defense and Space, Spain for acquisition of 56 C-295MW transport aircraft on September 24, 2021. The MoD has also signed an Offset Contract with Airbus through which the company will discharge its offset obligations through direct purchase of eligible products and services from Indian Offset Partners. These contracts were signed following the approval accorded by the Cabinet Committee on Security earlier this month.
Today’s Video
Watch: UK’s First Type 31 frigate, first steel cut for HMS Venturer the royal navy’s newest warship
Oshkosh Defense won a $10 million contract modification for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle Family of Vehicles. The JLTV Family of Vehicles (FoV) is the Marine Corps and Army partial replacement for the High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) fleet. Work will take place in Wisconsin. Estimated completion date is November 30, 2022.
Raytheon Intelligence & Space has introduced a lightweight, affordable AESA radar in its lightest form factor ever. In addition to being a third of the weight of most modern AESA radars, the new compact radar also costs about half as much as typical fire control radars. Gallium Nitride technology is combined with an innovative packaging of its digital receiver/exciter and processor called CHIRP, and a unique air-cooled design.
Middle East & Africa
IMCO Group acquired Innocon Ltd., a company that manufactures Micro, Mini and Tactical unmanned aerial systems (UAS) as well as mission systems for manned light airplanes. IMCO Group’s subsidiary acquired Innocon’s assets and activities for $938,000, plus an additional amount equal to 25% of the subsidiary’s net profit during 72 months from January 1, 2022, and up to a total and cumulative ceiling of $547,000.
Turkey reportedly handed over first units of Bayraktar TB2 combat drones to Morocco last week. The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (Far-Maroc) signed an agreement with Turkish drone maker Baykar Savunma for 13 Bayraktar TB2s in April. The contract was worth $70 million.
Europe
Norwegian mechanical engineering company Ritek has agreed to perform vehicle integration of Ground Master 200 multi-mission compact radars (GM200 MM/C) under an agreement signed with Thales. The Norwegian Defense Material Agency (NDMA) signed an agreement with the Netherlands Defense Material Organisation (DMO) for the five counter-battery radars in May 2021. Ritek will perform the vehicle integration of these radars, Thales said in a statement today.
Asia-Pacific
General Dynamics Land Systems won a $13.8 million contract modification for Abrams systems and technical support. The first M1 Abrams battle tanks were delivered to the US Army in 1980. The M1 is equipped with a Honeywell AGT 1500 gas turbine engine. The Allison X-1100-3B transmission provides four forward and two reverse gears. Fiscal 2020 and 2021 other procurement, Army funds; fiscal 2021 Foreign Military Sales (Australia) funds; and fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $13,743,076 were obligated at the time of the award. Work will take place in Michigan. Estimated completion date is September 30, 2022.
Latest updates[?]: Raytheon Intelligence & Space has introduced a lightweight, affordable AESA radar in its lightest form factor ever. In addition to being a third of the weight of most modern AESA radars, the new compact radar also costs about half as much as typical fire control radars. Gallium Nitride technology is combined with an innovative packaging of its digital receiver/exciter and processor called CHIRP, and a unique air-cooled design.
AN/APG-79 AESA Radar
The AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar began life as a replacement. Initial F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet production batches installed Raytheon’s all-weather, multimode AN/APG-73, but the APG-79 has intrinsic technical features that offered revolutionary increases in capability, reliability, image resolution, and range.
Unlike the APG-73 that equipped the first Super Hornets, the APG-79’s AESA array is composed of numerous solid-state transmit and receive modules that are fixed in place, eliminating a common cause of breakdowns. To move their beams, they rely on electronic changes in each module’s transmissions, creating useful interference patterns in order to aim, focus and shape their output. Other system components include an advanced receiver/exciter, ruggedized commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) processor, and power supplies. With its open systems architecture and compact COTS parts, it changes what both aircrews and maintenance staff can do with a fighter radar – and does so in a smaller, lighter package.
Vertex Aerospace won a $96.5 million contract modification, which increases the contract ceiling to extend organizational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance, logistics, and engineering support, to include support of equipment, tools, direct and indirect material for the T-45 aircraft, associated systems, and related support equipment to maintain all flight and test and evaluation operations for the Navy. Work will take place in Texas, Mississippi, Florida and Maryland. Estimated completion will be in December 2021.
Northrop Grumman won a $30.9 million deal to procure 25 Link 16 B kits; three Link 16 B kit spares; and two Link 16 flight training device B kits in support of UH-1Y and AH-1Z helicopter modification efforts for the Navy. This contract also provides Link-16 systems engineering, program management, and logistics support. Work will take place in California. Estimated completion will be in September 2023.
Middle East & Africa
Sudanese authorities said they thwarted a coup attempt on Tuesday by a group of soldiers. The authorities accused plotters loyal to the country’s longtime autocratic ruler Omar al-Bashir of a failed bid to derail the revolution that removed him from power in 2019. The plotters allegedly used tanks to close a bridge connecting Khartoum with Omdurman, just across the River Nile. They also reportedly tried to take control of state radio in Omdurman.
Europe
The UK Government approved the support through the ‘Military Assistance to the Civil Authority’ process, following a request from the Scotland Office, working with Scottish Government. The Ministry of Defense will provide 114 people to augment ambulance drivers and a further 111 personnel who will operate Mobile Testing Units which the military previously supported in 2020.
Asia-Pacific
UDN reports that Taiwan is preparing to publicly unveil the Lieh-Sun or Hunt Falcon mobile short-range air defense system during the National Day parade on October 10. The system uses the Tien Chien Two air-to-air missile.
Boeing selected Toowoomba in Queensland, Australia to set up the company’s first aircraft assembly facility of its kind outside of North America to produce the Boeing Airpower Teaming System drones (also known as Loyal Wingman). The announcement comes days after Australia abrogated a deal with France to build conventionally-powered submarines opting instead to build nuclear-powered submarines in partnership with the US and the UK.
Lockheed Martin won a $49.3 million deal. The contract provides for overhaul of the B-52 Counter Measure Receiver. The B-52H is the US Air Force’s long-range, large-payload multirole bomber. The B-52H Stratofortress is equipped with a range of electronic warfare equipment. The ITT AN/ALQ-172(V)2 electronic countermeasures system features multi-band threat recognition and multiple threat jamming. Work will take place ein New York. Estimated completion date is September 19, 2026.
The US Air Force has started flying operational missions with the Collins Aerospace’s MS-177 multi-spectral imaging (MSI) sensor on the RQ-4B Block 30 aircraft. The MS-177 is derived from the Senior Year Electro-optical Reconnaissance System (SYERS)-2C flown on the U-2.
Middle East & Africa
With the Ongoing discussions on the new Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) between Athens and Washington, Greece has insisted on creating a naval base at Souda on Crete. The new base is to a part of the efforts of Greece to establish a more permanent presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, Kathimerini reported.
Europe
Babcock won the first export contract for its Arrowhead 140 frigate through a design license agreement with PT PAL Indonesia, a state-owned enterprise that builds and maintains ships for military and commercial use from its facilities in Surabaya, Indonesia. The UK is using a similar design, basing its Type 31 Frigates on the Arrowhead 140 design, being built by Babcock at Rosyth.
Germany’s Krauss-Maffei Wegmann partnered with Dutch company Defenture to build new tactical vehicles to replace the German Army’s two decades-old vehicles. Both companies signed a letter of intent. The companies plan to develop a vehicle based on Defenture’s VECTOR (Versatile Expeditionary Commando Tactial Off Road) light all-terrain tactical vehicle.
Asia-Pacific
The twin surface-to-surface missile launches by North Korea on September 15 were made from a train, the country’s media has revealed. Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the state news agency of North Korea, confirmed a day later that those missiles came from the country’s test of its new “railway-borne missile system.” The report claimed that the missiles flew 800 km (~500 miles) before striking a target in the sea off North Korea’s east coast.
Today’s Video
Watch: Detailed tour through a B-52 Stratofortress!!
Ball Aerospace won a $9.7 million contract of the B-2 Antenna Electronics Unit. The B-2 is a low-observable, strategic, long-range, heavy bomber capable of penetrating sophisticated and dense air-defense shields. Work will take place in Colorado. Expected completion date September 16, 2026.
Lockheed Martin has announced that the LMXT is being built in response to the US Air Force’s KC-Y Program. The new tanker builds on the design of the Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor and works directly to implement US Air Force-specific requirements within the LMXT. The plane will be equipped with a fully automatic boom and air-to-air refueling system
Middle East & Africa
Rolls-Royce won a $194 million deal to supply upgraded power packs for Israel’s fleet of military ground transport vehicles to fulfill a foreign military sales requirement. Israel requested to procure 270 NPPLTs in full and light configurations in February 2019 under an approximately $238 million FMS deal. Work will take place in Michigan. Estimated completion date is December 31, 2021.
Europe
According to the New York Times, a 7.62mm MAG light machine gun mounted on a remote weapon station made by the Belgian firm FN Herstal was used in the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh on November 27, 2020 in Absard near Tehran.
BAE Systems has acquired In-Space Missions, a UK company that designs, builds and operates satellites and satellite systems. According to BAE, that this acquisition is part of their strategy to develop breakthrough technologies, “pursuing bolt-on acquisitions where they complement existing capabilities and provide an opportunity to accelerate technology development in key areas, as evidenced with recent acquisitions such as Prismatic, Techmodal and PPM Ltd”.
Asia-Pacific
The Republic of Korea Air Force Black Eagles performed over Kunsan Air Base, South Korea for the first time on September 9. “As a former Thunderbird, current base commander, and longtime partner to the Airmen of the Republic of Korea Air Force, it has been incredible to watch the Black Eagles perform here at Kunsan,” said US Air Force Col. John Gallemore, 8th Fighter Wing commander.
Today’s Video
Watch: BAE Systems acquires UK satellite firm In-Space Missions
